She Was a Flame, I Was a Moth
by SheBroughtWordstoLife
Summary: Arthur Read has not seen his friends from Lakewood Elementary since middle school. Now, as they're entering high school as young freshmen, Arthur is nervous as to how things have changed. Or, in the case of his feelings towards a certain girl, how things haven't.
1. Prologue

If there was ever a girl like Francine Frensky out there, I'd yet to meet her before third grade. Francine was one of a kind: smart, talented, and—well, let's face it, a bit bossy. She was a white hot flame of a girl, and I, Arthur Read, was a pathetic moth.

That's not to say we never had our disagreements. I remember the time I made an underhanded remark about Francine's new sweater, (it _did _sort of make her look like a marshmallow) and she had confronted me about it before the end of the day. We ended up settling things after being locked in the library overnight, but I'll save that for another time.

My point is that we are older now. My friends from Lakewood Elementary are now entering ElwoodCityHigh School as freshman. I haven't seen most of them since eighth grade. I've been on vacation all summer. I'm a little nervous to see how things have changed.

Or in my case, maybe how things haven't.


	2. Chapter 1

A heavy knock on my bedroom door woke me up.

"Arthur! Get up! It's your first day of high school!" My mom woke me up early on the first day of school. Every year. That way, she'd have time to take pictures and document everything "exciting". These pictures mostly consisted of me eating breakfast, brushing my teeth, and riding my bike to school. This year, however, I was taking the bus. Maybe I could catch up with a few of my friends.

I slowly sat up and groaned. I was definitely _not _a morning person. I shifted my legs out from under the sheets and somehow managed to get out of bed.

After getting dressed, (I no longer wore that yellow sweater. I'd kept it casual with a white t-shirt and jeans, with a blue hoodie on top) I went downstairs and made myself breakfast. As I was spreading butter on my toast, a bright flash blinded me from the doorway to the kitchen. After a few seconds of utter shock, I realized it was Mom with her outdated flash camera.

"Good morning, sweetie," she said with a smile.

"Morning," I grunted. "Where's D.W. and Kate?"

Mom set down the camera and leaned against the countertop. "D.W. is taking a shower, and Kate is still sleeping. I've got to drop her off for kindergarten in a while, though, so I think I'll go wake her up."

My two little sisters were no longer so "little." They were kids, yes, but not babies or even toddlers anymore. D.W. was entering fourth grade, and Kate was starting kindergarten. I don't know how the years flew by. Time doesn't wait. It just keeps moving.

I nodded as Mom walked upstairs to wake Kate. I sat down at the table and ate my breakfast while simultaneously not being hungry. I was nervous. I hadn't seen my friends for three months. I hoped they hadn't forgotten about me. God knows I haven't forgotten about them. Especially…

No. I can't think of her. Thinking of her makes me feel like my heart is beating a million times a minute. I don't know why, but every time Francine Frensky crosses my mind, I get all flustered. It's embarrassing, really.

Somehow I managed to finish breakfast and keep it down. I went upstairs and brushed my teeth, put on my glasses, and head out the door.

The September breeze gently scattered a few leaves at my feet. The bus stop was empty when I arrived, but as the minutes passed, more and more people started to gather. Some faces I recognized, some I didn't. Everyone seemed to be listening to music or catching up with old friends. I felt awkward and alone. That is, until a very familiar pair of white rabbit ears stuck up over the crowd.

"Buster!" Calling out, I saw his ears perk up towards my direction. Soon, Buster's face showed through the others as he walked over towards me.

"Arthur, hey!" He high-fived me and smiled. "Haven't seen you in ages."

I laughed a little. "Yeah, family vacation. It was stupid. Couldn't see any of you guys all summer."

He nodded. "That must have sucked. I'm glad you're back, though. I don't think I could've handled hanging out with George for much longer."

George was a friend of ours who we occasionally hung out with. He was a bit quirky, but nice enough. "Why?"

Buster rolled his eyes and replied, "He still brings that puppet _everywhere_."

I laughed as the bus rolled up. Everyone crowded near the door, waiting to hurry on and get a seat. I followed suit, but froze when I heard a very familiar laugh coming from the back of the bus. I looked over towards the back windows, and there, sitting with Muffy Crosswire, was the girl I'd been nervous about seeing for months.

Francine.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I should've been happy with my seating. It was a perfectly nice spot in the middle. Grudgingly, I wished Buster would've found one in the back. I would've given anything to figure out what Francine was laughing at.

Dear God, I hope she wasn't laughing at _me_. Reassuring myself, I remembered that she teases everyone, not just me. She was probably laughing at Muffy. It was strange to see those two together still. To me, they were polar opposites. Muffy had matured into a young woman, ditching her dress for a skirt and blouse. Her hair was no longer in braids.

Francine had matured, too. Her hair was longer now, and she had taken out her barrettes. She never wore anything that made her uncomfortable. She was so in tune with what made her happy and unhappy…I couldn't help but feel like she had it all together. I, on the other hand, was scrambled and confused. The only thing I knew was that I liked her. I liked that she was comfortable in herself and didn't care what others thought. It seemed so refreshing.

"Hello! Earth to Arthur!"

Buster's fingers snapped in front of my face, calling my attention back to our conversation. I turned to him and asked, "Everyone's changed. We all look different."

He shrugged and began to eat a candy bar he pulled out of his pocket. "Yeah," he mumbled in-between chews, "that happens. You should see Binky. If he wasn't scary to you last year, he sure is now! He's gotta be at least six feet tall. It looks like he eats rocks for breakfast. Or puppies."

I shook my head. "He probably just eats kindergartners."

Buster snorted and took another bite of his candy bar. "Get this-Brain won't go by 'The Brain' anymore. He makes everyone call him _Alan_."

"Are you serious?"

"One-hundred percent serious! He doesn't even hang out with us anymore. He prefers to hang out with the upperclassmen in his Science Club."

Annoyance bubbled up within me. So the Brain—I mean, Alan—doesn't want to be seen with us anymore? "Too bad we're not as smart and clever as him and his friends," I mutter dryly.

Buster and I remain silent the rest of the ride. Chatter carries throughout the bus, making me feel even more awkward. Everyone is happy that school is starting except for me. A feeling deep down in the pit of my stomach erupts and stays there. It makes me wonder if my group of friends could ever be the same again.

The lump in my throat tells me it won't.

The bus pulls up to the high school building just in time to stop me from losing my breakfast. It looks huge, and somewhat Hellenistic. Exactly the kind of place that makes you feel intimidated walking up the steps. Or maybe that was just me.

Upperclassmen stand in their small groups of friends chatting, while small streams of freshmen file inside for a short orientation. I see Binky hanging out with the Tough Customers by the side of the school. Buster was right; Binky was huge. Muscles bulged from under his shirt, and a half-burned cigarette was between his lips. I sometimes forget he is older than the rest of us, even if he is a ninth grader as well. His eyes are set something across the grass. I follow his gaze to find that it rests on Sue Ellen.

Sue Ellen was a classmate of mine. I smile at her even though she is more absorbed in her book than in her surroundings. She has not changed. She is still short with frizzy, untamed hair. She still dresses somewhat exotic, as if she had just gone on a trip to some country I've never heard of. Why would Binky be checking out Sue Ellen?

Romantic relationships are not my strongest point, clearly.

Buster and I head into the building to find a seat. Orientation starts at eight o'clock. That's ten minutes away.

Time keeps marching on.


	4. Chapter 3

Orientation starts out boring and ends the same way. Principal Grizzly spouts the same BS we've been hearing since junior high. "We are here to help you," he claims, "so you can become the powerful young men and women you are capable of being."

Blah blah school rules, blah blah dress code, blah blah think of Your Future. I pass the time by sneaking small glances at Francine from across the room. She looks just as bored as I am. Maybe she'll look this way. Maybe I'll wave, and she'll wave back.

Maybe I should shut up.

We are dismissed from the auditorium and instructed to go to our first hour class. That means I have to go to English on the third floor. I hate to be so pessimistic, but exercise wasn't really on my to-do list today. If I have to spend all day climbing the stairs, I might just pass out from exhaustion.

Holding my notebook and folder, I start to head up the stairs. I make it to the second staircase before my foot catches on a step and I start to trip. I feel a firm grasp on my shoulder steady me before I fall. "Easy there, tiger."

Out of all the people to see me almost trip, it has to be Francine Frensky. Mumbling out some sort of thanks, I turn away and continue up the Staircases of Death. She takes them to at a time to walk with me.

"So how's it going?"

I try and find words to say that won't confirm her suspicions that I'm a total idiot. It's pretty tough, given what happened moments ago.

"Pretty good. You?"

"I'm fine. Just heading to English."

"Hey, me too!"

She smiles. Of course, it's a beautiful smile. One that could make a snowman melt. "Really? I'm glad I'll know one person in there. Muffy has French."

For some reason, that doesn't surprise me.

"Yeah, well, Buster has some Public Speaking course. I wish he were in this class."

Wow, Arthur, I bet that made her feel wonderful. _I'd much rather be hanging out with Buster, but I guess you'll have to do._ Can I get through a single interaction with her without embarrassing myself?

"Yeah, me too. I wish the gang could all have a class together or something. I miss hanging around with everyone."

I don't tell her that The Brain (_Alan!) _would rather calculate some velocities with his Science Club than hang out with us. "I do, too."

"Maybe we could all meet up at the Sugar Bowl after school. I haven't seen you guys all summer." She opens the door to the classroom. I hadn't even noticed we made it to the English room.

"Don't you have soccer practice or something?"

"Nah, JV practice doesn't start until next week. I could've made varsity, but some sophomore got the last spot."

"Oh, well…I guess I could make it."

"Cool! I'll ask Muffy and Sue Ellen."

I take a seat, and she sits next to me. Maybe English won't be so bad after all. I don't even mind walking up those steps that much if Francine is there.

Class begins and I'm upset that our conversation is cut short. I stare at the clock. Six and a half hours until the school day is over. Six and a half hours until the Sugar Bowl meet up.

Is it bad that my stomach is already twisting itself in knots?


End file.
